Wednesday, July 20, 2011

I am a big fan of memoirs and autobiographies. I like listening to people's stories. No surprise there, consider I work in mental health. I listen to people's stories all day.

That being said, I am also cheap and am resigned to read whatever I can find at goodwill. This is how I came upon "Losing it" , as noted above.

Overall, it is an easy book. Ms. Bertinelli is not overwhelmingly smart or all that deep. She seems a good gal who likes to share her thoughts. The first part of the book is devoted to how distorted her self concept was. At 100 lbs she thought she was fat. Blah blah. Most women have no idea how beautiful they are. This goes on for a few chapters.

I mostly skimmed through that.

I did thoroughly read the Eddie Van Halen parts. As suspected, Mr. Van Halen was a prodigy. There is no way someone can play like that without special gifts. He thrived in his inner world fueled by alcohol and that thing that can drive geniuses from reality. It's an interesting phenomenon among prodigies called 'the creative rage'. There is so much fuel to create that it drives them constantly.

His drinking and cocaine addictions are documented. It's typical of addict stuff. It's different with rock stars though. Most addicts eventually run into consequences of their addiction. The law, running out of money, overdose and/or near death. The destruction of family relationships. None of this really happened to Mr. Van Halen. Rock stars have endless money and people who enable to no end. His wife was one of them. This goes on for 20 years of their marriage and a good 100 pages of the book.

It kind of fascinates me, how Ms. Bertinelli just stood there. Standing by her alcoholic husband while she did movies of the week, absorbed herself into motherhood. It's like she was sleepwalking.

Which is how she gained some hefty poundage and then Jenny Craig called. The last 10 pages document her journey with that. Like the rest of the book, it's breezy.

SO the reason I picked this book up was that I am now back on the weight watchers. Down 5 pounds so far. I am 176 at this point. Like everything else, it's bizarre.

But, I've been through this before, the weight watchers. Only this time it's going to be easier. I don't have so much to fight in my head. I welcome the weight watchers, it's me taking care of me.

It's a process of reclaiming my body. All the chub is a blanket. One that I need to slowly dissolve to start to reveal myself. Then, in a few months, I'll start to be hot again. I'll be standing taller and wearing stuff that shows me off versus 'hides the trouble spots'.

I'll get there. And document the whole shebang here too.

but first, i give you one of favorite songs and one that I feel fully demonstrates the genius of Eddie